Depending on the region, crop rotation, soil, farm specifics, determine which type of cover crop is best for you and implement it following the instructions of your chosen specialist!
Cover Crop achieves 4 major advantages:
- Keep the soil covered — protected — for as long as possible
- Low level of soil disturbance
- By cultivating them, the soil is nourished
- Can be included to diversify crop rotation
In addition to contributing to the four basic goals or principles for soil health, there are a number of specific ways that cover crops lead to better soil health and, potentially, better agricultural profits.
Cover crops:
- feed many types of soil organisms
- increase the number of earthworms
- fixes soil carbon and soil organic matter
- contributes to better management of soil nutrients
- helps maintain ground cover
- improve biodiversity in agricultural fields
- aerates the soil and helps rain penetrate the soil
- reduces soil compaction and improves soil structure and strength
- facilitates the integration of animals with field crops
- greatly reduces erosion and soil loss
While in the past, soil testing and evaluation focused more on chemical and physical measures, new research has shown that soil biology is very important to its overall health and productivity. An incredible diversity of bacteria,
protozoa, arthropods, nematodes, fungi and earthworms create a hidden food web in the soil that affects how crops grow, how soil nutrients are cycled, and whether rain is quickly absorbed into the soil and stays where
crop roots can access that moisture.
In conclusion, one way to improve soil health is to use a greater diversity of plants, maintain soil cover, have living roots in the soil all year round, and disturb the soil less. As we learn more about soil biology,
it is clear that even modest use of cover crops makes a big difference to soil health.
Inform yourself and decide based on the region, crop rotation, soil, farm specifics, determine which type of cover crop benefits you and implement it following the instructions of the chosen specialist!